From NPR’s expert and scholarly and analytical program MARKETPLACE specializing on the Castroite succesion dated Jan. 18, 2008:

“In March, (2008) Cuba’s National Assembly will name Cuba’s president and Cuba experts uniformly predict that for the first time in 50 years, Cuba’s president won’t be a Castro. So who will he be?”

“It’s Carlos Lage…This is a time when Cuba’s leadership moves toward generational change.” (“Phil Peters is “Cuba Expert” at the Washington D.C based Lexington Institute)

“Lage in reality is already a kind of de facto prime minister.” (Brian Latell)

Now over to the Miami Herald, Feb 2, 2007:

“Carlos Lage is key in all this. Lage wants to move ahead with economic reforms…Raul comes in and makes Lage his right-hand man.” (Wayne Smith was chief of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana under Pres. Jimmy Carter and is director, of the Cuba Program at the Center for International Policy)

Now over to the New York Times from Feb. 21, 2008

“Fidel and Raúl Castro said in recent months that they have an obligation not only to lead but also to yield to a younger generation of leaders. At the top of the list of possible candidates to share power with Raúl Castro or become first vice president is Carlos Lage.” (Julia Sweig is Cuba Expert at the Council on Foreign Relations)

Now over to CNN News. Feb. 19 2008

“Castro is now going out on his own terms, securing a smooth transition to his brother and to a younger generation of leadership in Cuba……such as Vice President Carlos Lage.” (Peter Kornbluh is Senior analyst for the National Security Archive at George Washington University.)

(For our new friends: For over three years Carlos Lage has been as scarce as Jimmy Hoffa. That was him sandwiching Evo Morales with his chum and benefactor Raul.)